On November 9, an opening ceremony of the new program of scientific and research internships for foreign experts "InteRussia" took place at the Institute of International Studies of MGIMO University. This unique program in the CIS space is a result of partnership of the Gorchakov Fund, MGIMO and Rossotrudnichestvo.
During the period of five months, five young scholars from the CIS countries will be working on their own research studies under the guidance of senior research fellows at MGIMO. In addition to that, the participants of the program will meet top representatives of the academic and expert community and governmental officials, visit educational and sociopolitical platforms and will also be able to attend public diplomacy events hosted by the partners. The missions of InteRussia is to strengthen and expand academic, social and cultural ties among young professionals in the political and academic community of Russia and foreign countries and also to develop conditions for a meaningful dialogue.
When addressing the participants at the opening ceremony, Vice Rector for Research at MGIMO University Andrey Baykov mentioned that such "horizontal" expert cooperation was very beneficial – since the breakup of the USSR humanitarian studies had been significantly diversified, new separate schools had been developing, and both sides were interested in studying specifics and culture of each other's research. Baykov emphasized that such humanitarian cooperation was a contribution to trust in the post-Soviet space, and that, in its turn, was increasing opportunities for cooperation in other areas, such as economy and politics. The project not only promotes better understanding of international and political studies in the world, but also allows to assess the role of the "Smaller Eurasia" space in the academic, expert and political agenda.
Deputy Executive Director of the Gorchakov Fund Victoria Karsliyeva congratulated the attendees and the colleagues with the opening of the program, which was taking place despite all restrictions and risks associated with epidemiological situation, and said that one of the goals of the program was to establish a mature expert and professional community, which would exist and function in the long-term after the end of the program.
It should be mentioned that next year participants of the InteRussia internship project will be able to compete in the contests held as part of the program of strategic and academic leadership "Priority 2030", and develop the academic agenda in the post-Soviet space together with Russian scientists.
Director of the Institute of International Studies at MGIMO Andrey Sushentsov told how the work would be organized during the program. The biggest advantage of the program is an opportunity to work under the personal guidance of academic consultants represented by top employees of the institute. "Those are our best experts, senior research fellows, with whom the participants will be able to build meaningful and mutually beneficial cooperation", said Sushentsov. The Institute of International Studies at MGIMO is a major research department of the university, which brings together best international relations scholars specializing in various regions and areas of research.
Deputy Head of the Administration for Support of International Development and Humanitarian Programs at Rossotrudnichestvo Ruslan Emirveliyev mentioned that the InteRussia program was the first experience of the agency in the area of scientific and academic programs and expressed hope that InteRussia would further develop in other fields of science and academic institutions of the country.
The attendees of the program, in their turn, thanked the organizers for a unique opportunity to hold research under the guidance of the best scientists of Russia and said that they would do their best to use their academic and research potential. A result of the internship will be individual scientific research, which might be published in Russian and foreign scientific publications.